LG Manoj Sinha rolls out infra push in Samba border village, highlights ‘First Village’ vision

Declaring border settlements as the nation’s “First Villages,” Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday launched a series of development projects in Regal village of Samba, reaffirming the administration’s push to bring frontier areas to the centre of growth and opportunity.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have shifted the narrative. These are no longer the ‘last villages’ of India; they are our ‘First Villages’,” Sinha said.

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The Lieutenant Governor was addressing a public rally during his visit to the border village.

The projects launched by the LG include the establishment of a Digital Library at Government Primary School Regal, the construction of Community Hall-cum-Recreation Centre at Regal, development of Amrit Sarovar at Regal along with Drainage Channel, Installation of 03 Open Gyms and Installation of Solar Street Lights.

The LG reaffirmed that the administration is resolute to elevate the border settlements from the periphery of neglect to the forefront of national progress.

“We are committed to safeguarding the dignity of every border village family, ensuring that those who have faced the greatest neglect are now accorded the highest priority in the new era of Jammu Kashmir’s progress,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that the Government of India is implementing a comprehensive strategy under the Vibrant Villages Programme, which aims to integrate border populations into the national mainstream with a focus on Livelihood Generation, Infrastructure, and Connectivity. He said that the programme also aims to saturate all villages in 4 thematic areas—all-weather road connectivity, telecom connectivity, television connectivity and electrification—through convergence under existing scheme norms.

The Lieutenant Governor directed officials to ensure that every household in the border villages has access to electricity, mobile connectivity, and economic independence.

“We must ensure that by 2030, not a single family in the border villages of Samba remains below the poverty line,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

He also stated that the completion of the Shahpur Kandi Dam would provide a massive boost to the region’s agricultural productivity.

The Lieutenant Governor lauded Regal for becoming a TB-free village and urged continued vigilance regarding clean drinking water and the collective fight against drug abuse.

The Lieutenant Governor also handed over appointment orders to SPOs and sanction letters to various youth of the village and beneficiaries under HADP, Mission Yuva and other schemes.

During his visit to the Regal Border Out Post (BoP), the Lieutenant Governor interacted with the Jawans and lauded their unwavering determination in guarding the nation’s frontiers and commended their exemplary role in Operation Sindoor.